


A new way forward

by destinationtoast



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen, Hope, If You Squint - Freeform, Love, Multi, Polyamory, The Force, if by government you mean something more like, radically rebuilding society, strange women distributing swords may be a basis for government after all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:46:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22027291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/destinationtoast/pseuds/destinationtoast
Summary: Rey says farewell to the old and begins the creation of something new.  (A loose retelling of the final scene of TROS.)
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 14
Kudos: 51





	A new way forward

Rey stands in the sand, feels the warm wind brushing over her as she digs.

The First Order is gone. So are all the old leaders of the Resistance. Those who are left must now create a new way of being in the world. A new way of living together as a society. 

A new way of using the Force, she vows.  _ For life instead of death, destruction. _ She draws forth the weapons.  _ For love instead of loneliness, asceticism.  _ She wraps the two lightsabers together.  _ For every person, instead of the powerful, the chosen few. _ She buries the weapons that belonged to Jedi.

Since her return to life, she can effortlessly sense the Force in everyone, everywhere. She wants to help everyone else find it, connect to it, too. 

She draws forth the new device she has crafted. It is a golden column of light, different from the others. It was built not to destroy, but to draw upon the Force to point the way to friends and allies, old and new. It pulses and pulls, lighting the path forward, helping the bearer to find their way to those most likely to love and support them. She hopes it will be the first of many, distributed to everyone, ensuring that nobody need be lost or alone.

She built it while holding a vast idea in her mind. As she stares into the golden light, she thinks of it again -- everyone she loves, everyone she has loved, and all the love that could yet be. In this moment, she is connected to them all.

Her parents, who didn’t abandon her, but sacrificed themselves out of love.

Han, who saw her, respected her. Who offered her a job, and her first steps to finding her path beyond Jakku.

Luke, who challenged her, taught her, helped her find herself. Who gave her the tools to go on questioning and challenging everything about the way the world was supposed to work.

Leia, who led them all, and showed them how to lead once she was gone. Who also gave Rey the love she’d craved without knowing it. And who gave Ben, with her final breath, the love he’d needed to break free.

Ben. Ben, who let Rey find the good in him and show him the path to the light. Who proved that there was love still to be found in the most desolate places. Who gave her hope for rebuilding the world, even in the instant of devastation as she lost him.

And Finn. And Poe. Who made the best team she’d ever seen together, and somehow still had room for her, the three of them forming an even stronger team. Poe and Finn, for whom she feels something profound but still in the making. Even as they are physically apart, she still senses their warmth and support, their strength and affection, and the endless possibilities of what they can become.

And all those who fought alongside them, in the Resistance.

And all those who joined at the final call, bringing hope in the darkest moments.

And all those who yearned to be there but could not.

And all the ones trapped within their stormtrooper suits and choreographed acts of hate, who would have joined if only they knew how to be free.

And all the slaves, owned by other beings, or enslaved by their own debts or doubts or addictions.

And all the droids across the galaxy, few of whom had ever been given any choice in their path.

And all the Jedi who had preceded her, still connected to her and one another now.

And everyone else who had come before, who might not yet be lost forever… she feels, sometimes as if she can sense them, more souls than the stars she can see in the sky, pulsing faintly. 

Not everyone is part of the vast network that she senses; some will never find their way.  _ But there are more of us than them. So many more. And we will not give up on anyone. _

She blinks as her sword pulses, strongly. It has become night as she contemplates. One twinkle falls from the sky, becomes a shooting star, then a comet, then a ship. Finn and Poe have arrived, ready to join with her to build a new way forward.

**Author's Note:**

> These are the emotions I was craving right after seeing TROS, and I scribbled this down with no fact checking (and without having seen the earlier movies recently). If I've made any errors, gentle corrections are welcome.


End file.
